Friday Morning Surprise
by JenRar
Summary: Stephanie gets a surprise one morning at the bonds office after Ranger's been in the wind.


_Disclaimer: JE owns them. I do not._

~oooOOOooo~

**Friday Morning Surprise**

~oOo~

Stephanie pulled up to the bonds office Friday morning. She got out of her current POS car with a few body receipts in one hand and a box of doughnuts in the other. She could see Connie and Lula through the window, chatting and doing their nails, like almost every morning when she arrived.

As she opened the door leading into the office, she gave a quick, silent prayer that Connie didn't have any new files for her. She was doing okay for money at the moment and was hoping to have a nice, relaxing weekend. Having to go out catching skips would definitely put a damper on those plans.

"Good morning, ladies!" she called out after coming through the door into the cool, air-conditioned room.

"Morning, Steph," Connie said, smiling.

"Hey, skinny-ass white girl. Thank the fuck you brought doughnuts. I stopped at Mickey D's this morning and only got me two of them griddle sandwiches. I was so busy watching the Skank of Trenton walk inside with that ex of yours, Officer Hottie but Asswipe Cop, I forgot the rest of my order. Can you believe that shit?"

She took the box from Stephanie's hands and set it on the desk, immediately opening it and grabbing three Boston Cremes before planting herself back on the couch.

Steph laughed. "Which part? Morelli and Joyce, or you forgetting your order?"

The first, she had no trouble believing, considering six months ago, she'd walked into his house and caught him red-handed—and bare-assed—with said skank. The second, she actually _was_ surprised about.

Lula just gave her a look that said it all. "Anyways, how you doin'? Batman's still gone, I'm guessing, since you don't got no 'Happy Sex Glow' face on."

Connie snorted around the doughnut she was eating.

Sighing, Stephanie answered, "I guess he is, yes. I haven't heard from him, at any rate. If he were back, I'd have heard, considering I'm actually living and working in the building."

"Damn, Steph," Connie said, whistling. "That's nearly eight months of living and working around all those hot guys. How do you _stand_ it, especially without going absolutely crazy?"

Laughing, she told them honestly, "Lots of showers with my best friend: the shower massager."

They nodded knowingly.

"Anyway, Con, got any files for me?"

She handed Connie the body receipts and waited for the other woman to fill out a check for her to take to the bank on her way back to RangeMan.

"Nope. Just a couple of high-bond skips for RangeMan you can take back with you."

Stephanie did a silent cheer and grabbed a third doughnut. "Okay, I'll take those in a bit. I have a few minutes until I need to be at work."

The women sat there eating and talking until Connie and Lula suddenly went still, mouths gaping wide. Steph was about to ask what was wrong, when she felt the tingle on the back of her neck. A few short moments later, a unique scent enveloped her and a warm, strong, male hand landed on the back of her neck, caressing her skin. She knew without a doubt there was only one person that combination could come from.

"Ranger," she whispered, her throat suddenly dry and tight.

Eight months ago, her latest stalker had firebombed her apartment to the point that half the building had gone down in flames. Luckily, no one had been hurt. She'd moved in with Morelli—temporarily on her part, although he'd kept trying to make it permanent. Two months later, she'd caught him with Joyce.

She'd gone to Ranger and asked if she could stay in one of the apartments on four until she found someplace new and cheap to live. He'd not only offered her an apartment, but had also convinced her to hire on at RangeMan full-time. They'd spent quite a bit of time together after she moved in, including lunch and dinner together almost every day...until three weeks after she'd moved in, when he'd left to go "in the wind." This was the first time she had seen him since.

"Babe," Ranger said, a warmth to his voice.

He was so glad to be home and felt even better seeing Steph with his own eyes. He'd gotten to RangeMan less than half an hour before, and Tank had assured him that Stephanie was fine, but he'd had to see it for himself.

She turned slowly, a smile creeping onto her face. As soon as she was facing him, she began to look him over for any new "war wounds," as she called them. "Welcome back! Are you okay?"

"Not a scratch," he assured her.

The moment he said that, she flew into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and digging her fingers into his shoulder-length, dark hair. She surprised him by kissing him soundly on the lips. He tightened his hold on her and returned her kiss until two throats clearing snapped him out of it.

He dragged his lips from Steph's and leaned in to rest his forehead against hers. "Sorry, Babe. This isn't over, though," he whispered with a grin, watching her swallow hard before loosening her legs and sliding down to her feet.

"Welcome back, Ranger," said Connie, who'd recovered first.

Lula simply nodded, checking herself for drool. Stephanie laughed at the sight of her two friends acting like drooling idiots in front of Ranger—although, if she was forced to admit it, she had been guilty of that herself far too many times to count.

"Ladies," Ranger said with a small smile. "He in?" he asked, nodding at Vinnie's door.

Connie nodded. "He is, and he'll be very glad to see you. I think he's asked Stephanie every day for weeks where you were and when you'd be back." She rolled her eyes in a very 'Burg-like manner.

"Thanks," he told Connie. "Babe, I'll probably be in there for a bit, catching up. See you back at RangeMan?"

Stephanie nodded. "I'm heading to the bank and then work, so I'll be there when you get back." She paused, looking him over once more. "I'm glad you're back, Carlos," she whispered softly.

His eyes darkened when she said his name, and he pulled her close for a few seconds. "Me, too, Babe. Me, too." He kissed her once and then released her. "See you in a while."

She nodded and watched him walk into Vinnie's office after a quick knock.

"Damn, girl! He looks at you, and I swear your panties are gonna catch fire!" Lula exclaimed.

Steph wouldn't admit to them, but one look from Ranger and her panties were too _wet_ to catch fire.

Instead of admitting that, she laughed and nodded. "Okay, I'm gonna get going. Give the RangeMan files to Ranger when he leaves, okay, Con? Thanks for the check. Lu, give me a call if you need help with anything. See you both Monday, if not before."

They waved, and Steph left the bonds office, feeling more calm and more excited, all rolled into one, than she had in six months.

Stephanie was back at RangeMan in less than fifteen minutes and wasn't surprised that Ranger's Cayenne wasn't parked in its usual spot yet. She gave a finger wave to the camera before stepping into the elevator. When she exited on five, Hal gave her a smile as he walked past. Several of the other guys called out morning greetings as she made her way to her cubicle.

As she was settling in to begin the searches for the day, a large shadow fell across her desk. "Hi, Tank," she said, smiling as she turned to greet him.

"Morning, Bomber. Did, uh, you have a good time at the office with the girls?" Tank didn't want to ruin the surprise about Ranger being home if he'd missed Steph at the bonds office this morning.

Stephanie grinned. "I did, thank you. Oh, and thank you for directing Ranger my way. That was certainly a nice surprise!"

"Ah, good. I'm glad he caught you. Yeah, he'd only been back in town for a little bit, but he couldn't wait to see you." Tank rolled his eyes playfully. "He's so whipped, and he doesn't even realize it."


End file.
